[Objective] To detect HBV YMDD motif mutants using RDB hybridization assay in lamivudine treated patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection,as well as to evaluate the detection capability for clinical application.[Method] HBV DNA was extracted from serum for a total of 242 cases,after the PCR amplification,the hybridization was performed.By comparing the RDB assay results to sequence analysis,the concordant results were analyzed.The sensitivity and detection capability for mixed infection samples are also evaluated.[Results] There are 236 of concordant results for RDB assay and sequencing were obtained in a total of 242 cases,accounting for 97.5%.For all of the cases,there are 58 cases with coexisting mutant viruses in wild type viruses,accounting for 24%.The sensitivity of RDB hybridization assay for HBV YMDD motif mutants was 103 IU/mL,and approximately 10% mutant type strains can be detected from a mixed infection sample.[Conclusion] The RDB hybridization assay for HBV YMDD motif mutants is a simple,accurate,and economic method and it may be a promising tool for clinical application.

This paper reports the clinical characteristics and ZNF526 gene mutation in a child with Dentici-Novelli neurodevelopmental syndrome, who was admitted to the Department of Pediatrics at the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in June 2021, and reviews the relevant literature.The male child, 5 years and 1 month old, presented with distinctive facial features, intellectual and motor retardation, language development delays, scattered Mongolian spots on the back and buttocks, brain tissue involvement, visual impairment, and epilepsy.The whole-exome sequencing of the family revealed that the child suffered compound heterozygous mutations, c.1430G>T and c. 475C>T, in the ZNF526 gene.At present, 7 mutation sites in the ZNF526 gene have been reported globally to be associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, and the 2 mutations in this case have not been reported in the literature, broadening the phenotype and mutation spectrum of this disease.

OBJECTIVETo study the in vitro effect of herb components on scavenging harmful components of cigarette smoke such as radicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, nitrosamines in vitro, and its reducing effect on cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke.

METHODspectrophotometry was used to examine the scavenging effect of herb components on DPPH free radicals, superoxide anion radical, and hydroxyl radical, and the results were compared with the anti-oxidation of ascorbic acid. Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to examine the scavenging effect of herb components on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. UV spectrophotometry was used to examine the scavenging effect of herb components on volatile nitrosamines. MTT assay was used to examine cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke.

RESULTAll the herb components showed a certain scavenging effect on DPPH free radicals, superoxide anion radical, hydroxyl radical, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and volatile nitrosamines, espacially the ginkgo biloba extract (GBE), flavonoids of glycyrrhiza, procyanidine, total saponins in ophiopogonin, total saponins of astragalus and epimediun flavonoids. After these six herb components were added to cigarette, the cytotoxicity of cigarette smoke on BEP2D cells was remarkably reduced, by increasing cell survival fraction (SF, %) and mean lethal dose (DML).

CONCLUSIONThe herb components can scavenge harmful components of cigarette smoke such as radicals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and nitrosamines, which reduce the damage of cigarette smoke on human being.

Cell Survival ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Free Radical Scavengers ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Smoke ; adverse effects ; Tobacco ; adverse effects

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic value of relative lesion length in differentiating extrahepatic bile duct infiltrating cholangiocarcinoma with inflammation.Methods:From October 2014 to February 2018, 24 cases of infiltrating extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas confirmed operatively and pathologically and 23 cases of extrahepatic bile duct inflammation confirmed clinically from the Third People′s Hospital of Datong City were respectively enrolled in this study. Upper abdomen MR and/or CT image data of all patients were respectively reviewed. The extrahepatic duct wall was defined as wall thickening with obvious enhancement. The length of the lesion was measured. L lesion/L duct was referred as the ratio of the lengths of lesion to extrahepatic bile duct (common hepatic duct+common bile duct)was calculated. The difference in the average values of L lesion/L ductbetween the cholangiocarcinomas group and inflammation group was analyzed with t test, and the differential diagnostic efficacy of L lesion/L ductratio was analyzed with receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) test. Results:Significant difference was found in the length of lesion between the extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma group [(22.01±1.86) mm] and the cholangitis group [(47.36±2.81) mm] ( P<0.01). The average ratio of L lesion/L ductwere 0.26±0.02 for the cholangiocarcinomas group and 0.54±0.03 for the inflammation group, respectively ( P<0.01). The area under the ROC curve of L lesion/L duct in diagnosis of the infiltrating extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas was 0.92. With <0.40 as cut-off point, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 87.5% and 82.6%, respectively. Conclusion:The L lesion/L ductmight be taken as an important diagnostic sign in differentiation between infiltrating extrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas and extrahepatic bile duct inflammation.

Objective To explore the feasibility of integrated imaging of portal vein and hepatic vein with"three low-contrast agents"combined with energy spectrum CT technology.Methods A total of 100 patients with enhanced abdominal CT scans were selected.The patients were randomly divided into two groups.The patients of experimental group(n=50)were injected with the isotonic con-trast agent iodixanol(320 mg I/mL)at a flow rate of 3 mL/s and a total volume of 1.2 mL/kg,and underwent energy spectrum CT scan in the portal venous phase.The patients of control group(n=50)were injected with the sub-hypertonic contrast agent iohexol(350 mg I/mL)at a flow rate of 5 mL/s and a total volume of 1.5 mL/kg,and underwent conventional multi-phase spiral CT enhancement scan.The image quality and radiation dose of portal vein and hepatic vein were compared between the two groups.Results The CT value of main portal vein in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group,and the difference was statistically sig-nificant(P＜0.05).There was no statistical significance in main portal vein contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR),main portal vein signal-to-noise ratio(SNR),hepatic vein CT value,and hepatic vein CNR between the two groups(P＞0.05).The SNR and image standard deviation(SD)of the hepatic vein in the control group were better than those in the experimental group(P＜0.05).There was no statistical significance in the subjective scores of portal vein and hepatic vein between the two groups(P＞0.05).The volume CT dose index(CTDIvol),dose length product(DLP),and effective dose(ED)of the portal venous phase spectrum CT scan in the experimental group were lower than those of the conventional single-phase spiral CT scan in the control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion"Three low-contrast agents"combined with energy spectrum CT technology can realize integrated imaging of portal vein and hepatic vein in late portal vein,and can reduce radiation dose.